


War Tears Familys Apart

by Mini_Moose



Series: What Can I Give Him [1]
Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, Corporal Punishment, Death, Drugs, Non-Consensual Spanking, Past Child Abuse, Post-War, Pre-War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-18 15:57:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19337767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mini_Moose/pseuds/Mini_Moose
Summary: Joey Shelby is Tommy Shelby's brother. they are very close to each other. Begins pre war when Joey's brothers are shipping out. How will Little Joey deal with it?





	1. You Can't Leave Me

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter is quite short, just to set the scene of the relationship between Joey and Tommy.

In this exact moment Pol wished this child would be more like Finn instead of Tommy, because this child was smart and very much like Tommy, he was too aware. Finn however seemed almost oblivious to what was going on around him, Pol didn’t expect him to know much but to at least understand his brothers were going away for a long time and may never come back. But seven-year-old Finn was too busy playing with his clearly pre-owned, broken toys to care about what was going on around him. The youngest Shelby at only four, Joey, however seemed completely aware, clinging onto Tommy for all his might refusing to let go when anyone, including Tommy himself, tried to pry him off. It was Joey who seemed to know that it was likely not all of his brothers would return.

 

“Please Joey, I have to go, you need to let go of me.” Tommy whilst keeping a firm tone could never be overly harsh to the child, possibly because of the similarities between himself and the boy, even at his tender young age the comparisons were clear. The boy had been openly sobbing on Tommy’s shoulder for the better part of ten minutes now and it was safe to say that everyone was a little more than frustrated with the small child. “No!” came the forceful reply from the small boy, who was trying to burrow further into Tommy’s chest, as if that was at all possible. “Joseph, you do as you are told and let your brother go!” Polly interjected, her voice raised. Everyone in the room knew that for Joey and Tommy, Polly breaking out the full first name was a big warning sign and usually would have them falling into line with their tails between their legs. But that wasn’t going to work today. Still the small boy would not release his death grip on the man. Polly let out a sigh, “He’s only ever like this with you, never with Arthur or John.” Pol had given up, she leant back from the two, lit a cigarette and took a long, calming drag.

 

After another five minutes of struggling Polly was officially done. “Just take him to bloody war with you, I’m not having him sulking for the entire time you’re gone. Put a uniform on him and nobody will know the difference.” Tommy for the first time ever, lost his patience with the boy. “Joey, you let go this instant. I have to go and that is the end of it.” Tommy had raised his voice at the boy which instantly had the child weakening his grip allowing Tommy to pull the boy off and hand him to Polly. Giving the men just enough time to leave.

 

Joey was quick to scramble out of his aunts arms and to the window, where he sat for the rest of the day.


	2. Down We Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 Years into the war. Polly's tired, Joey's a pain

Joey was no longer the happy, smart child he had once been, granted the war had took its toll on everybody but it had been especially hard on Joey and consequently on Polly. The boy had been a terror from the moment Tommy had left. So far it had been a long 2 years and Polly was ready to snap. Dealing with the young boy’s outburst and general bad behaviour had made her a kind of tired she had never felt before. She had managed to sneak off for a few moments of peace that could not last long enough. She couldn’t wait for the boys to get back from the battlefield. The stress lines had etched themselves into her already aging skin, whilst she did love her nephews, she very honestly blamed the youngest one for her rapidly declining appearance and health. As she had told the boy many times, she had to smoke to relieve the stress of simply talking to the young boy.

 

She knew her moment of peace couldn’t last but she would be lying to say it didn’t sour her already dismal mood to hear a fierce sounding crash accompanied by a cry of pain and small feet running down the stairs. Brilliant, this was just what she needed. Letting out an exhausted sigh she steeled herself before exiting the room and making her way towards the sound of children.

 

The sight before her was worse than she had imagined it being, which did cause her a slight pang of guilt at how long she had taken to emerge to investigate the sound. In front of Pol stood the two boys, Finn with blood pouring from his nose as well as a small gash near to his eye, Joey doing his best to hide the proud look on his face with a concerned one. Polly however could see right through the fake emotion on the child’s face. She pulled Finn towards her and dragged him through to the kitchen where she began the gruelling task of cleaning the blood from him. Joey followed not too far behind but keeping a safe enough distance away that Aunt Pol couldn’t reach him to deliver any kind of punishment. “What happened?” she asked, although she had pretty good odds on what was about to come out of the older boy’s mouth. “He hit me, I didn’t even do anything Pol. He just came in the room and hit me.” Finn answered, all indignant in the fact his younger brother was beating him up. Pol cast a vicious glare at the 6-year-old stood slightly off to the side all fake smiles and feigned innocence.

 

As soon as Polly had cleaned Finn up, she sent him off to go and play. “Joseph how many times have I told you not to hit your brother?” Polly paused expecting an answer from the boy, but no answer was offered instead he shrugged his shoulders and focused his gaze on the floor. “What did I say would happen if you did it again?” It was this statement that caught the child’s attention. “No, Please Aunt Pol, not the belt. You’ve never used the belt before.” Polly shook her head at the boy. “You were warned, now go and fetch the belt. Best be quick too, I have work to do.”

 

Joey was doing his best to walk as slow as possible, but he had always been a hyper, impulsive child and he got bored way too quickly. In short, he didn’t do slow. Soon he was stood in front of a furious looking Aunt Pol wondering why he was here already, doing his best to hide the fear that gripped his body. Pol could see the nerves in the boy, she had never used the belt on him before and hadn’t planned to for a while yet. However, Joey hadn’t left her with much choice, his behaviour had been on a rapid downward spiral ever since Tommy had left, she was also aware that it wouldn’t get any better until the young man was back. IF he came back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay for now I am going to try to update everyday, after these next few chapters the story will be at the beginning of the peaky blinders tv show. that should produce much longer chapters. I know where I want it all to go just have to have time to write it.


	3. Emotions hurt, Maybe more than Belts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joey has to face his punishment, but can he do it? or is it someone else struggling?

Polly would rather not go through with this, but if she didn’t the boy would never learn. In all honesty she wasn’t positive this would work anyway, nothing else ever had and if this failed too, she would be at a loss as to what to do with the boy. Even Tommy hadn’t been as much trouble as this child. So, it was with a heavy heart and a solemn demeaner she gripped the doubled over belt in her hand. She glanced down at the trembling child, awaiting the first strike. Seeing him now almost broke her, he looked so small and fragile, terrified of his fate. But she had to pretend to be unaffected by this all for a few minutes whilst she dealt with the boy, he would only get worse otherwise. 

 

The first strike was deafening in the otherwise silent room, Pol watched for Joey’s reaction. The boy had raised onto his tiptoes when the belt had struck him, but apart from a small flinch he was holding himself rather well considering his age, but then again that had only been one strike. Pol allowed the boy a few seconds before letting the belt fall again, once then twice, 2 strikes quickly after each other. The small boy despite his great efforts to keep the noise in he let a small whimper escape his lips, he was stubborn much like Tommy always had been. Polly placed a comforting hand on the small of the child’s back, she felt like the worst person alive, giving the children’s father a run for his money, this felt wrong. He was so small; she shouldn’t be using a belt on him yet. The other kids hadn’t felt the fire hot strike of the belt until they turned at least 11 years old, but alas this child was different in almost every way. Another two strikes had the boy letting out a yelp of pain, he was hurting and whilst some might describe her as mean Pol had a heart and she knew giving many more would be beyond punishment. So, she decided this would be the last one, he was 6 years old so 6 strikes seemed a fair number. Pol raised the dreaded implement and whilst she meant to swing it down one final time, she couldn’t instead she held it there a terrifying threat dangling over the boy’s head. 

 

Pol had to remind herself that the boy has already had much worse at school: the cane, the wooden ruler to the knuckles. Whatever the nearest object was when Joey was caught talking seemed to be a favourite of his current teacher, the woman had wicked aim and a decent throwing arm on her if the bruises Joey returned with were anything to go by. Pol had to do anything to make this easier on her, but finally she steeled herself and allowed the last strike to fall.

 

Pol scrambled to bring the now crying child into her chest, she hated being the one to make him cry but without the men here to do the job, usually Tommy, she had to take the responsibility. She had done this when the others were younger but somehow it seemed easier back then, worse now with Joey. Pol put it down to all the other things going on in her life at the moment.

 

Joey stood head buried in his Aunts chest, sobbing openly. Pol couldn’t help but think, this was the first time that Joey had really shown any emotion other than anger since Thomas had gone off to war, which was probably why it was so intense and over the top. Joey sobbed and sobbed, tears rushing down his face in a steady stream until finally landing on Aunt Pol’s dress. It was there he stayed, at some point his Aunt had scooped his legs up and not long after that he had fallen asleep, the days events and emotions having worn him out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks guys, your Kudos are appreciated.


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